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Worked all day on the exhaust - here's the mock up. There's no room for the rear header pipe as we've moved the rear wheel forward 2" to shorten the wheelbase.
Yep, I know the pipes aren't equal length, :'( but given the space / image that's about the best I can do. There will be a slip joint where the exhaust passes the rocker oil feed, and we'll use that to put a heat shield over, so we don't boil the rocker feed oil !
The tank is also being attacked today - 12mm off the depth at the front bottom, and 20mm at the rear kick up. We masked the areas up first with black card and already the tank is looking much more in proportion - reasonably happy.
If not - I've bought a Virago shaftie tank which is quite a bit smaller, and I'll try a second tank shell cover on that to see how much we can trim that down, if neccessary.
I've also ordered a special Gold Star style silencer in stainless steel to finish the exhaust off.
Yes, I looked at that possibility - unfortunately due to the cam chain position it would be dificult bordering on not worth it!
Two Smoker - you're right, the inspiration for this one [ I'm building for my pal ] IS Vincent. We'll even go with gloss black for the engine cases and even the swing arm shouts Vincent. Unlike me, he always wanted a Vinnie as a kid, so that's the overall image we're looking at. The Grimeca 4LS hub / Brakes should arrive by the weekend, they'll also be gloss black.
At one stage we were also looking at the Vincent "banana" style fuel tank, but decided that might be a step too far.
I have a Shaftie Virago tank arriving next week - considerably smaller than the TR1 / XV920, so we might have a go at fitting a smaller / different shape tank cover on that one.
Y'know Von I'm a little undecided myself about the tank. In the flesh it doesn't look so big - but they say a photo never lies................ 8) 8)
The plan IS to get it to look like the AJS7R / G50 TT race tank which was 6 gallons as opposed to the normal 5 gall or short circuit 3 gall [ 'orrible thing ].
When we offered up some black card underneath, it did look more in proportion. The bland "satin" colour doesn't help either as you lose the
shapes and curves we put in !
Soooooo, we're going with removing the 12mm front and 20mm rear. Then we'll take a set of moulds. Once I've got finished "product" to play with, we can look again. What about that Grimeca though !!!!!!!!!!!
Yea Stik,
my pal had to order 2 to get a trade deal - I have the spare one on my coffee table just lusting at it !!! 8)
He has hinted that the "spare" one might come my way in return for building his bike.
The crazy part is that here in the UK, these BRAND NEW Grimeca hubs are cheaper for us to buy than a Suzie 4LS !! That's when you can even find one. There was a reconditioned [?] one for sale last month for £500 [ $750 ??] JUST THE HUB / BRAKE ASSY :
Should have a piccie update next week. Hopefully the tank / seat will be somewhere near complete [ mock up ], and the tube footrest hangers finised.
the Ali rims should be in stock in the next 2 weeks - excited !!!!
First stage of the rearset brackets. Decided to go with tube rather than plate in the end. I'm putting a "designer" plate in the middle of the Vee to add strength, and for a little BS. Not certain whether to chrome or paint chassis colour ???
This is my old original 7R seat, this is more the angle I'll drop it to.
Not a lot happened last week, as my pal had to get a D Type replica finished to go off to India !
just confirmed ali rims as WM3 x 2.15" x 18" for thefront and WM5 x 3.00" x 18" for the rear - both flanged type.
I'm having the XS500 rear hub polished in the centre and non drum side, and the brake plate will be modified with cooling air scoops and then powder coated silver to match the Grimeca front.
Still undecided about the second bike, whether to use the twin disc - or the "spare" Grimeca???
Both the tank mods and the rearset hangers will be completed next week.
At the moment I'm just finishing off the brake torque stays for the Grimeca.
Just had all the hardware for the Grimeca arrived - Magura lever assy's, twin pull compensator, and we've made up a template for the brake torque stay.
The rear hub should be back from polishing at the weekend, then they're off to be built up.
I've got a guy coming round to check out the exhaust we've mocked up to see about making it up in Stainless.
My pal's work guys could easily do it - but we want to have a jig made as there will be at least 3 sets being made !
Just scored another TR1 - 1983 this time and absolutely mint low mileage.
Only £500 [ $800 ? ] and a real steal. Usually anything that even runs here in the UK is well over £1000.
Subtle changes in the past week - the tank shape has now been finalised.The material will be removed where it's painted Black to give us a sleeker less bulky shape. I think it now looks OK. Ditto witnh the seat - the Green one was a 7R repro - and as my Black seat is an original, we can now see that the repro is anything but - the shape at the rear hump is all wrong. Soooo - upholstery off my Black seat and a swift set of moulds. More work, but I'll only be doing this once.
The swingarm subframe has been modded to give us 35mm shorter w/base, although we may go a bit more radical to give a 50mm max. That will bring the w/base down to a more "sporty" 67" /68".
There's been a delay geting the rear hub polished, so the wheel build is STILL 3 weeks away.
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer -"The VINDICATOR"
Short update - been busy with the reverse Trike for a couple of weeks, so the TR1 "Vindicator" has had to be back burnered.
Back on it.
The tank patternmaking is being completed this week, I've adjusted the lower edge yet again, and I'm happy we have a "sixties" look. As soon as that's complete I'll get the side panels mocked up in foam and then patterned.
The front hub torque arms are now mocked up and they'll be made while the hubs are away to be built up next week.
While we're sitting there waiting for the wheels to turn up [ can't wait ! ] I'll turn my attentions back to the exhaust. I'll arrange a shallower angle to joint the two pipes.
The swingarm has now been altered to reduce the wheelbase by 2".
Pix next week.
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